Wave-viewing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A wave viewing apparatus incorporates a tubular member and a viewing window. The tubular member comprises an anterior end, a posterior end, a crest region, a trough region, a channel wall, and a falling wall. The viewing window is disposed at the posterior end of the tubular member.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates with surfing and more specifically relates to an apparatus for illustrating waves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the most popular sports and recreational activities around the world is surfing. Surfers can be found throughout all parts of the world. In fact, surfing is so popular that it has been a longtime tourist draw for many coastal cities around the world. Surfing has become so popular that it has been recently added to the Olympic games.

Many of the top professional and amateur surfers have become international celebrities. Moreover, the surf breaks upon which these surfers have become famous for riding have become natural celebrities in their own right.

Famous surf breaks are known for their shape, length, speed, height, and danger. The dimensions of these waves are formed in part due to the underlying sand, rock and reef bottoms. These surf breaks are so well known that they are instantly recognizable to even casual fans of surfing. The outer appearance of these waves is intrinsically distinctive from several hundred feet away.

Although these famous waves are readily recognizable to many surfers around the world, the inner dimensions of these same waves are not recognizable to highly advanced and professional surfers due to the difficulty of these waves. The danger and necessary skill level to position oneself in a deep barrels of dangerous waves such as Pipeline restricts the number of people who have viewed the inner dimensions of these waves to a select few. And for even those few surfers who can claim to have surfed through the barrel of these waves, the speed, fear, and din of noise makes the memory of the inner view of these waves impossible for nearly all surfers. Moreover, the fleeting nature of these waves obscures a lasting and comprehensive mental image of the inner dimensions of these waves.

Due to these logistical issues, accurate depictions of the inner views of these waves have been difficult to attain. One of the reasons why the inside dimensions of these waves are not as well-known or famous is because it is difficult to take pictures of the inside cavities of these waves. Many of these famous waves are so dangerous that being positioned at the wrong place and time can prove lethal. Moreover, logistical problems such as lighting, cameras, and the infrequency of these waves have made it hard to accurately depict them through photographs.

There is a need for some surfers to view an accurate depiction of these famous waves. For instance, many surfers have to visualize the inside dimensions of various waves so that they know where to position themselves in the wave. Without this visualization aid, surfers will have to learn to ride the wave the hard way through trial and error.

Therefore, what is clearly needed in the art is a wave viewing apparatus for depicting the outer look and dimensions of a wave as well as the inner look and dimensions of a wave. This apparatus may prove to be just as effective a training tool as it may be as a novelty item for surfing enthusiasts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the purpose of depicting the outer appearance of a wave as well as the inner dimensions of a wave. The apparatus achieves the inside view through use of a lens affixed to an end of the tubular member. In some preferred embodiments this lens may be a wide-angle lens, magnified, or possess other qualities and properties desirable to a viewer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a special novelty apparatus which depicts various famous surf breaks around the world. These tubular members may be molded and fashioned in such a way to depict the general appearance of the wave from the outer view as well as the inner view. In some preferred embodiments, the apparatus may further incorporate a bottle opener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a unique apparatus is used for illustrating various waves. The present invention is described in enabling detail below.

FIGS. 1-7 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The wave viewing apparatus 100 includes a tubular member 101 and a viewing window 102. The tubular member has an anterior end 103, a posterior end 104, a crest region 105, a trough region 106, a channel wall 107, and a falling wall 108.

The tubular member in some preferred embodiments is comprised of a transparent resin. This tubular member is shaped and molded to substantially resemble a wave. Some tubular members may embody various directional breaking waves such as left breaking waves or right breaking waves. Therefore, the positioning of the viewing window will necessarily depend upon whether the wave resembles a left breaking wave or a right breaking wave. Moreover, the shape of the tubular member may substantially resemble point breaks of many of the world-famous waves widely coveted by many surfers. Although in some preferred embodiments the tubular member is comprised of resin, other preferred embodiments may incorporate either plastic, glass, crystal, fiberglass, plexiglass or other materials which inhere transparent or translucent properties. Moreover, other non-transparent materials may be used in other preferred embodiments such as wood, metal, or ceramics.

The viewing window 102 is disposed at the posterior end of the tubular member. The viewing window enables a person to look into the tube of the wave from the posterior end of the tubular member. FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary view when looking through the viewing window. This view enables a viewer to observe the typical shape, positioning, and other dimensions of a wave as it may appear to a surfer inside the barrel of a wave.

In some preferred embodiments the viewing window may be a peep sight 200. Peep sight may incorporate a wide angle lens 125 (or convex lens) for the purpose of viewing the inside of the tubular member and the figurine. In some preferred embodiments the peep sight includes an anterior side and a posterior side. The anterior side is oriented towards the anterior end of the tubular member. The anterior side is comprised of a convex lens. In other preferred embodiments the viewing window may simply comprise of a lens or glass. And in some preferred embodiments the viewing window may alternatively be a simple orifice.

The wave viewing apparatus may also further incorporate a base 109 in some preferred embodiments of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 8. The base is a substantially planar member which provides a firm and stable base with which the tubular member may rest when set on a surface. The base is disposed underneath the trough region of the tubular member. The base may be affixed to the tubular member in a panoply of different means. Such means include, but are not limited to: glue, heat welding, fasteners, etc.

In some preferred embodiments the wave viewing apparatus also includes a figurine 110. The figurine may embody a panoply of different shapes and readily recognizable people or things. In some preferred embodiments the figurine may be a wave rider. Exemplary wave riders may include, but are not limited to: long-board surfers, short board surfers, boogie boarders, big wave surfers, tow-in surfers, and kite surfers. Other exemplary alternatives include goofy-foot or regular-foot surfers and front/backside surfers. In other preferred embodiments the figurine may embody marine organisms such as sharks, dolphins, otters, sting rays, fish, and whales. Figurines may be made of many different types of materials such as plastic, resin, rubber, metal, etc.

FIG. 9 illustrates another preferred embodiment where the wave viewing apparatus further incorporates a bottle opener 300. Bottle opener in some preferred embodiments may be affixed to the base. Bottle opener may simply comprise a planar member with a specially shaped orifice for the purpose of opening bottle caps. In other preferred embodiments the bottle opener may be affixed to other areas of the wave viewing apparatus. For this reason, the exact place of affixation of the bottle opener with the wave viewing apparatus should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Moreover, It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that there are numerous changes that may be made in embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As such, the invention taught herein by specific examples is limited only by the scope of the claims that follow. 

1. A wave viewing apparatus comprising: a tubular member and a viewing window; the tubular member comprises an anterior end, a posterior end, a crest region, a trough region, a channel wall, and a falling wall; the viewing window is disposed at the posterior end of the tubular member.
 2. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a base; the base is a substantially planar member; the base is disposed underneath the trough region of the tubular member.
 3. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a figurine; the figurine is disposed at either the trough region or the channel wall.
 4. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is comprised of resin.
 5. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is transparent.
 6. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is comprised of glass.
 7. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the viewing window is a peep sight; the peep sight comprises a lens.
 8. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the viewing window is a wide-angle lens.
 9. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 3 wherein the figurine is a wave rider.
 10. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the viewing window is magnified.
 11. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bottle opener; the bottle opener is affixed to the wave viewing apparatus.
 12. A wave viewing apparatus comprising: a transparent tubular member, a base, a figurine, and a lens; the tubular member comprises an anterior end, a posterior end, a crest region, a trough region, a channel wall, and a falling wall; the lens is convex-shaped and is disposed at the posterior end of the tubular member; the base is a planar member is affixed to the tubular member; the figurine is disposed within the tubular member.
 13. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the transparent tubular member is comprised of resin.
 14. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the lens is a wide-angle lens.
 15. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the figurine is a surfer.
 16. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a bottle opener.
 17. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tubular member is comprised of fiberglass.
 18. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a peep sight.
 19. The wave viewing apparatus of claim 12 wherein the tubular member is comprised of plastic.
 20. A wave viewing apparatus comprising: a transparent tubular member, a base, a figurine, and a peep sight; the tubular member comprises an anterior end, a posterior end, a crest region, a trough region, a channel wall, and a falling wall; the tubular member is comprised of resin; the peep sight comprises a lens; the lens is convex-shaped and is disposed at the posterior end of the tubular member; the base is a planar member is affixed to the tubular member; the figurine is disposed within the tubular member. 